Santos, Catarina Frazão da Fonseca Ribeiro dosRosa, Rui Afonso Bairrão da, 1976-Boa-Alma, Diogo de Melo Nobre2025-01-2020242024http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/97334Tese de mestrado, Ecologia Marinha, 2024, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de CiênciasThe overall goal of the present dissertation is to investigate the feasibility of developing an adaptive comanagement model for the Sal Rei Bay, located on Boa Vista Island, Cabo Verde. Previous studies have identified this Bay as a multi-specific shark nursery, the first of its kind in the African Atlantic. However, increasing anthropogenic pressures driven from tourism, artisanal and semi-industrial fisheries, and urban development, are contributing to significant ecological imbalances in the Bay. Despite the existence of environmental laws and regulations, their implementation and enforcement remain insufficient to effectively protect the Bay’s biodiversity. The present research used qualitative methods, including semi-structured interviews with 49 participants from different stakeholder groups, from fishermen to conservationists, to local business owners and government representatives. Results revealed a significant socioeconomic dependence of the local population on the Bay’s resources, with fisheries, tourism, and recreational activities being highlighted as primary uses. However, the lack of coordinated efforts to balance these activities with conservation objectives was a recurrent concern. Stakeholders also expressed apprehension about inadequate waste management, illegal fishing practices, and the unregulated expansion of tourism, all of which exacerbate the environmental degradation of the Bay. The dissertation advocates for an adaptive co-management approach that integrates local knowledge, adaptive decision-making, and participatory governance. This model emphasizes active engagement with local communities and stakeholders, fostering a management process that can respond to ecological unpredictability and evolving environmental conditions. By promoting community engagement together with collaboration among government entities, local resource users, and conservation organizations, the adaptive co-management model seeks to protect biodiversity while supporting sustainable economic development. The proposed model is therefore a well-suited and viable management approach for Sal Rei Bay.engCo-gestão adaptativaáreas marinhas protegidasparticipação comunitáriaBaía de Sal Reiberçário de tubarõesTeses de mestrado - 2024master thesis203877195